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Fie, a sixteen-year-old chieftain from a lowly cast of mercy-killers, must rely on her wits and bone magic to smuggle the crown prince of Sabor to safety.Tags
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humouress Fantasy with a self-sufficient heroine, a young prince on the run who wants to make his kingdom a better place and his cocky sidekick. YA with a touch of (clean) romance
Member Reviews
{first in duology; fantasy, YA, re-read} (2019)
In a land where every caste has a gods-given birthright only the Crows do not.
In the land of Sabor everyone belongs to a different caste, each named for birds. There are twelve castes in Sabor of which the Phoenix is the highest and the Crows are the lowest, considered almost untouchables. The rulers of Sabor are of the Phoenix caste, whose birthright is fire; they can summon fire from nothing and will not be burned by fire. Every caste except the Crows has a birthright of magic, granted by the one thousand dead gods; caste members seem to have limited uses of their magic but caste witches - of which there are one thousand in total across Sabor - can wield the power. The Crow caste, show more however, has no magic and has no home but the roads; but, though Crows have no innate magic, Crow witches can borrow a birthright from the bones or teeth of other castes.
Crows are tolerated because they, alone, are immune to the Sinners' Plague which kills animals and people horribly and painfully and can literally wipe a village off the face of the earth within a month, so it is their duty - which they cannot refuse if they see the plague beacon - to collect the bodies of plague victims for which they receive a fee, which is how they make their living. If they find victims still alive it is their duty to dispatch them (hence 'merciful Crow') because the plague is incurable and highly contagious. Although the wandering families of Crows are the only thing preventing the land being overrun by the plague Crows are the untouchables of their world, despised and even hunted down for sport.
Sixteen year old Fie is the daughter of a Crow Chief whom she calls Pa (who adopted her after her mother was hunted down) and is being trained by him to be a chief for one of the Crow bands that roam Sabor. She can borrow the magic of a person's caste, for a limited time, from their teeth which Crows collect if a village can afford nothing else for their fee and she can also see past lives from the touch of bones. She knows that, despite Saborian laws, Crows are treated as outcasts and hunted and tortured by the so called Oleander Gentry who ride masked at night and so they must live circumspectly even as they walk the roads of Sabor.
The story opens when Fie's band has been called to the palace to deal mercy to a plague victim, if necessary, for the first time in 500 years. When the queen tries to cheat them of their viatik (or rightful payment) - as so often happens to Crows - Pa lets Fie set the price. And she makes a deal that could make life safer for all Crows - if she can pull it off.
I do like Tavin's irrepressible, flippant humour. He knows how to break the tension; the Crows are running for their lives with Queen Rhusana and the Oleander Gentry (the equivalent of the KKK) after them and they've just realised everything is even worse than they thought.
I like the map at the beginning of the book and I also found the table of castes, with their birthrights, useful.
Very enjoyable. After borrowing this book from the library twice, I've now bought the duology for my own shelves.
(February 2024)
4.5-5 stars show less
In a land where every caste has a gods-given birthright only the Crows do not.
In the land of Sabor everyone belongs to a different caste, each named for birds. There are twelve castes in Sabor of which the Phoenix is the highest and the Crows are the lowest, considered almost untouchables. The rulers of Sabor are of the Phoenix caste, whose birthright is fire; they can summon fire from nothing and will not be burned by fire. Every caste except the Crows has a birthright of magic, granted by the one thousand dead gods; caste members seem to have limited uses of their magic but caste witches - of which there are one thousand in total across Sabor - can wield the power. The Crow caste, show more however, has no magic and has no home but the roads; but, though Crows have no innate magic, Crow witches can borrow a birthright from the bones or teeth of other castes.
"You knew," Fie accused, stacking up every horrid piece. "That's why you ran."(Crows are named for the first word spoken in anger after they are born. Fie has had to make up Crow names for them on the spur of the moment.)
Jasimir shook his head, adamant. "It didn't sound possible until now. All three Swan witches are accounted for, she has no sign, and Tavin and I witnessed the marriage ceremony ourselves. We didn't know she could lose her Birthright for only a moon. I swear, I came to your band for help because Rhusana allied with the Oleanders, and for that reason alone." Fie scowled, baleful, at the dirt. "Aught else you want to tell me? Tatterhelm's got a meaner cousin? The king's really two asps in a fancy robe?"
"I still don't know what Viimo meant about ghasts," Tavin said.
"Me either." Fie's gut twisted. Pa had taught her how to call Swan teeth just on principle, for they had but a largely useless few. Still, in the handful of times she'd blinked through the life in a dead Swan's spark, she'd heard no whisper of ghasts. And that, like so many things, bode ill. Grim silence settled over them once more as Fie plaited a whole new set of troubles into the ones on her head.
Then Tavin's voice broke in. "I really have to know: Which one of us is Pissabed?"
Crows are tolerated because they, alone, are immune to the Sinners' Plague which kills animals and people horribly and painfully and can literally wipe a village off the face of the earth within a month, so it is their duty - which they cannot refuse if they see the plague beacon - to collect the bodies of plague victims for which they receive a fee, which is how they make their living. If they find victims still alive it is their duty to dispatch them (hence 'merciful Crow') because the plague is incurable and highly contagious. Although the wandering families of Crows are the only thing preventing the land being overrun by the plague Crows are the untouchables of their world, despised and even hunted down for sport.
Sixteen year old Fie is the daughter of a Crow Chief whom she calls Pa (who adopted her after her mother was hunted down) and is being trained by him to be a chief for one of the Crow bands that roam Sabor. She can borrow the magic of a person's caste, for a limited time, from their teeth which Crows collect if a village can afford nothing else for their fee and she can also see past lives from the touch of bones. She knows that, despite Saborian laws, Crows are treated as outcasts and hunted and tortured by the so called Oleander Gentry who ride masked at night and so they must live circumspectly even as they walk the roads of Sabor.
The story opens when Fie's band has been called to the palace to deal mercy to a plague victim, if necessary, for the first time in 500 years. When the queen tries to cheat them of their viatik (or rightful payment) - as so often happens to Crows - Pa lets Fie set the price. And she makes a deal that could make life safer for all Crows - if she can pull it off.
I do like Tavin's irrepressible, flippant humour. He knows how to break the tension; the Crows are running for their lives with Queen Rhusana and the Oleander Gentry (the equivalent of the KKK) after them and they've just realised everything is even worse than they thought.
I like the map at the beginning of the book and I also found the table of castes, with their birthrights, useful.
Very enjoyable. After borrowing this book from the library twice, I've now bought the duology for my own shelves.
(February 2024)
4.5-5 stars show less
Another book I’ve been waiting to read since before its release and really hoping that it would live up to my expectations - I can’t tell you all how happy I am that it did.
There are many things in this book that impressed me but I have to give the main props to the world building. Even though a lot of the terminology related to the world is thrown at us right from the beginning without context, it didn’t take me long to piece it all together and understand how the caste system works and how it’s all named. The idea of the caste system being named after birds with Phoenixes at the top and Crows at the book is pretty unique, as well as the single unique kind of magic (or Birthright) that each caste possesses. The Crows are the show more lowest caste, highly discriminated against and tormented, or even openly killed while no one tries to protect them - but they never stop their job of mercy killing the people suffering from the Sinner’s plague. Theirs is probably the most important job of this kingdom and the only thing stopping the plague from spreading indefinitely and killing everyone, but they are condemned for doing it. It was heartbreaking to read but also increased my admiration for the Merciful Crows while reminding me a lot about the plight of the magic wielders from The Broken Earth trilogy. The magic system in this book is also utterly unique, with the witches belonging to the Crow caste able to perform magic using teeth. It felt gross initially but I quickly became fascinated with how it worked and kept waiting to read more about its workings. There are also different kinds of creatures and magics we don’t know much about yet but it’ll be interesting to get to know them better. I also hope that author will provide more background in the next installment about why the plague doesn’t affect only the Crow caste and how their discrimination came to be so rampant. Another thing that really impressed me was that there seems to be no misogyny here, with women being in very important leadership positions and no one batting an eyelid about it. Sexual and gender diversity also seems to be a normal and accepting part of this world because we get bi/pan as well as gay royals, and a non-binary side character, and it’s just presented as fact rather then something significantly different. It was very nice to see the casual representation.
It took me a few chapters to get used to the writing style but once I got the hang of it, it was a breeze. I also did a mix of both the audiobook and the ebook and I think it was a fun experience. I initially had trouble with the usage of new language for normal conversational words and it took me a while to glean their actual meaning by observing the context. But I saw a couple of reviewers mention that these words are Scottish influenced and while I guess that’s different from usual, I still can’t understand why it had to be so. Otherwise, the writing is amazing. The pacing is consistent and fast, full of twists and turns and betrayals from unexpected quarters, always keeping us on our toes. I laughed and cried and gasped all the time, and never wanted to put it down. What I also found awesome was that the author didn’t shy away from talking about periods or birth control, and it’s nice that they aren’t taboo topics anymore. The story is also essentially a quest and it has quickly become a favorite trope of mine, so I very much enjoyed going on this treacherous journey with the characters. I found the author’s descriptions also to be very detailed and could totally imagine it all happening right in front of my eyes.
Fie is the daughter of the chief of the band of Crows and an absolutely brilliant character to follow. She is loyal and fiesty and has a bit of a temper, hates that she and her family members have to be silent in the face of taunts and threats but will suffer it all to keep them safe. She is also fearful to hope for anything good but will not stop trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel. I really admired her strength and tenacity, pushing through adversity and despair, getting ready even to sacrifice herself if there was a possibility that her caste might have a better future. Every struggle of hers felt real and painful and every time she succeeded, it filled my heart with joy.
Jas is the prince and Tavin is his bodyguard who have faked their deaths. I initially hated them because being from the royal castes, they never cared for the Crow castes until they needed their help. Jas was particularly infuriating because he is privileged and ignorant and just wants what he wants, and I wished Fie would smack him to get him in line. Tavin seems to know a little bit about the hardships that Fie’s people face but doesn’t seem to mind the status quo much either. But he is also a charmer and a flirt, so it was easy to start liking him sooner. It takes the two boys to be in the Crows shoes and being hunted indiscriminately to actually understand how much they have failed to protect their own people and I liked seeing that transformation of their minds. There was also a slow burn romance (no triangle here at all) which I adored, especially because it was based on mutual respect and they also had open conversations about consent and sex which was nice to see in a YA novel. I just hope we get to see a lot more of them in the next book.
To conclude, I had such fun reading about this unique world of Sabor. It’s brutal and unfair but the wonderful characters fighting back felt amazing to read about. The author gives this book a very satisfying conclusion, with enough threads wrapped up that it feels complete but also leaving us excited for what might happen next. If you like the trope of characters who can’t get along but have to go on a quest together, then this is the perfect book for you. I promise you’ll enjoy this journey. show less
There are many things in this book that impressed me but I have to give the main props to the world building. Even though a lot of the terminology related to the world is thrown at us right from the beginning without context, it didn’t take me long to piece it all together and understand how the caste system works and how it’s all named. The idea of the caste system being named after birds with Phoenixes at the top and Crows at the book is pretty unique, as well as the single unique kind of magic (or Birthright) that each caste possesses. The Crows are the show more lowest caste, highly discriminated against and tormented, or even openly killed while no one tries to protect them - but they never stop their job of mercy killing the people suffering from the Sinner’s plague. Theirs is probably the most important job of this kingdom and the only thing stopping the plague from spreading indefinitely and killing everyone, but they are condemned for doing it. It was heartbreaking to read but also increased my admiration for the Merciful Crows while reminding me a lot about the plight of the magic wielders from The Broken Earth trilogy. The magic system in this book is also utterly unique, with the witches belonging to the Crow caste able to perform magic using teeth. It felt gross initially but I quickly became fascinated with how it worked and kept waiting to read more about its workings. There are also different kinds of creatures and magics we don’t know much about yet but it’ll be interesting to get to know them better. I also hope that author will provide more background in the next installment about why the plague doesn’t affect only the Crow caste and how their discrimination came to be so rampant. Another thing that really impressed me was that there seems to be no misogyny here, with women being in very important leadership positions and no one batting an eyelid about it. Sexual and gender diversity also seems to be a normal and accepting part of this world because we get bi/pan as well as gay royals, and a non-binary side character, and it’s just presented as fact rather then something significantly different. It was very nice to see the casual representation.
It took me a few chapters to get used to the writing style but once I got the hang of it, it was a breeze. I also did a mix of both the audiobook and the ebook and I think it was a fun experience. I initially had trouble with the usage of new language for normal conversational words and it took me a while to glean their actual meaning by observing the context. But I saw a couple of reviewers mention that these words are Scottish influenced and while I guess that’s different from usual, I still can’t understand why it had to be so. Otherwise, the writing is amazing. The pacing is consistent and fast, full of twists and turns and betrayals from unexpected quarters, always keeping us on our toes. I laughed and cried and gasped all the time, and never wanted to put it down. What I also found awesome was that the author didn’t shy away from talking about periods or birth control, and it’s nice that they aren’t taboo topics anymore. The story is also essentially a quest and it has quickly become a favorite trope of mine, so I very much enjoyed going on this treacherous journey with the characters. I found the author’s descriptions also to be very detailed and could totally imagine it all happening right in front of my eyes.
Fie is the daughter of the chief of the band of Crows and an absolutely brilliant character to follow. She is loyal and fiesty and has a bit of a temper, hates that she and her family members have to be silent in the face of taunts and threats but will suffer it all to keep them safe. She is also fearful to hope for anything good but will not stop trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel. I really admired her strength and tenacity, pushing through adversity and despair, getting ready even to sacrifice herself if there was a possibility that her caste might have a better future. Every struggle of hers felt real and painful and every time she succeeded, it filled my heart with joy.
Jas is the prince and Tavin is his bodyguard who have faked their deaths. I initially hated them because being from the royal castes, they never cared for the Crow castes until they needed their help. Jas was particularly infuriating because he is privileged and ignorant and just wants what he wants, and I wished Fie would smack him to get him in line. Tavin seems to know a little bit about the hardships that Fie’s people face but doesn’t seem to mind the status quo much either. But he is also a charmer and a flirt, so it was easy to start liking him sooner. It takes the two boys to be in the Crows shoes and being hunted indiscriminately to actually understand how much they have failed to protect their own people and I liked seeing that transformation of their minds. There was also a slow burn romance (no triangle here at all) which I adored, especially because it was based on mutual respect and they also had open conversations about consent and sex which was nice to see in a YA novel. I just hope we get to see a lot more of them in the next book.
To conclude, I had such fun reading about this unique world of Sabor. It’s brutal and unfair but the wonderful characters fighting back felt amazing to read about. The author gives this book a very satisfying conclusion, with enough threads wrapped up that it feels complete but also leaving us excited for what might happen next. If you like the trope of characters who can’t get along but have to go on a quest together, then this is the perfect book for you. I promise you’ll enjoy this journey. show less
Literary Merit: Excellent
Characterization: Excellent
Recommended: Highly Recommended
Level: High School
I absolutely adored this book! While it might've been a little difficult to get into at first (the language and world are complex and not immediately explained), once I was hooked I found it almost impossible to put down. Owen has built a fantastic world, jam-packed with interesting characters and complex lore. Even better, the lore is based on types of birds and their strengths, putting this book right up my alley.
The Merciful Crow transports us to the fictional kingdom of Sabor, where people are divided into castes based upon their Birthrights and individual powers. Phoenixes, for example, are the ruling class, and have the ability to show more both create and resist fire. Similarly, Vultures are given the ability to hunt, while Owls are given scholarly wisdom. Fie, a young Crow, is used to being the lowest of the low, destined only to follow plague beacons and offer a merciful death to their victims. As Crows are impervious to the plague, they are looked down upon and persecuted by the other castes despite the useful service they provide.
Fie, who has trained her entire life to be the chief of her clan, has her world flipped upside down one night when her band of Crows is called to the palace to dispose of the bodies of the prince and his trusted guard. To her shock and horror, however, the two are only pretending to be dead, and strike up a bargain with Fie's Pa to escape the murderous queen: transport them safely to their allies, and Crows will be protected by appointed Hawks in the future. For a caste frequently targeted by Vultures and other groups, this offer seems too good to pass up. Though Hawks and Phoenixes have traditionally never spoken to or interacted with the lowly Crows, Prince Jasimir and his friend Tavin must now live like Crows... or risk dooming the entire kingdom to the reign of a cruel and ruthless queen.
As I said before, this book is chock full of interesting lore, from the Birthrights of each caste, to the ancient wisdom of the old gods and the Covenant. There are even old songs and stories passed down from each generation to the next, something I'm sure that Owen has written and stored in her own personal database somewhere. What results is a world that feels very rich in detail, a world that pulls you in and makes you want to know more. One such example of rich detail can be found in the names of the characters, as all Crows are traditionally named the first foul word spoken to them. Thusly, characters like Fie, Swain, Hangdog, and Wretch exist alongside those with more ordinary names.
The story does not hold your hand at all, however; it throws you right into the action and challenges you to fill in the blanks of this universe as you go. The book includes both a map and a basic description of each caste and their powers in the front, which serves as a helpful guide while tracking the story's action, but this might prove to be a little much for the reluctant or uninitiated reader. For me, however, this was immensely fun and fulfilling, as it kept me interested in slowly piecing the puzzle together.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the romance, which I felt was incredibly well-developed. I have always been a huge fan of romance, both as the main plot and as a sub-plot, and am a well-known sucker for a well-written love interest. I especially love a romance that develops slowly, and give bonus points if that romance turns from mutual dislike to love (also known as the "love-hate" relationship). Fie and Tavin fulfill this role perfectly, butting heads in the beginning while having excellent chemistry and an obvious attraction to one another. Their journey from enemies, to friends, to lovers felt very natural and well-deserved, and I appreciate Owen's ability to really get me attached to the characters and their romance as I read.
In addition to excellent lore and romance, this book is also full of subtle yet poignant political commentary about classism and the abuse of power. As a Crow, Fie and her fellow clan members have gotten used to being treated lower than dirt, and don't even blink at their mistreatment. Tavin, on the other hand, has been raised as a Hawk his entire life, and takes great pride in his caste's call to protect others and uphold the law. He is horrified, however, when he sees how Crows are treated, often having to bite his tongue to keep from speaking out against the injustice from his own caste. Prince Jasimir, as a Phoenix, has to learn to humble himself in order to understand plights he has never had to face. In essence, he is forced to "check his privilege" in order to gain empathy for those beneath him. I think this is important for teens to grasp, as many of them may have grown up with privileges they're unaware of. The Merciful Crow confronts these privileges (privileges such as knowing help will be offered when seeking it from those sworn to protect you) in a way that never feels preachy or overt, and I appreciated the subtlety of the writing.
At the risk of praising this book into oblivion, I also really enjoyed both the cultural and sexual diversity in this book. Several characters, including Prince Jasimir himself, allude to being either gay or bisexual, and no big deal is ever made of this fact. For example, Tavin mentions that all of the lords and ladies of the land had been "throwing their sons at him" in the hopes of marrying into the royal family, demonstrating that one's sexuality is inconsequential in the face of wealth and power. As always, I really appreciate seeing the LGBT community represented casually, and I hope Jasimir is given a love interest of his own in future books.
Along with LGBT representation, there is also a great deal of racial and cultural diversity in this book. The Crows speak in what seems to be a Scottish accent, with words like "ken" and "aught" being thrown around frequently. Fie is described as having brown skin, though it is never clear exactly what her ethnicity is. The rest of the Crows are also seen as having darker skin, and while it is never expressly stated, I believe Jasimir and Tavin are this universe's version of Middle Eastern in appearance. Though some might take issue with the fact that most of the characters of color are the ones looked down upon in this universe, I think this is making yet another political statement about how people of color are treated by those in power in our own society.
I could honestly go on and on about this book for pages, but I don't want to give away more of the plot than is strictly necessary. Suffice to say, this was an immensely enjoyable ride from beginning to end, and I'm extremely glad I picked it up. It's full of magic, suspense, romance, adventure, and intrigue. The characters are complex and lovable, the story is compelling, and the world-building is both complex and extremely well done. I would recommend this book to fans of both fantasy and romance (though maybe not to reluctant readers due to its complex language), and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel next year. show less
Characterization: Excellent
Recommended: Highly Recommended
Level: High School
I absolutely adored this book! While it might've been a little difficult to get into at first (the language and world are complex and not immediately explained), once I was hooked I found it almost impossible to put down. Owen has built a fantastic world, jam-packed with interesting characters and complex lore. Even better, the lore is based on types of birds and their strengths, putting this book right up my alley.
The Merciful Crow transports us to the fictional kingdom of Sabor, where people are divided into castes based upon their Birthrights and individual powers. Phoenixes, for example, are the ruling class, and have the ability to show more both create and resist fire. Similarly, Vultures are given the ability to hunt, while Owls are given scholarly wisdom. Fie, a young Crow, is used to being the lowest of the low, destined only to follow plague beacons and offer a merciful death to their victims. As Crows are impervious to the plague, they are looked down upon and persecuted by the other castes despite the useful service they provide.
Fie, who has trained her entire life to be the chief of her clan, has her world flipped upside down one night when her band of Crows is called to the palace to dispose of the bodies of the prince and his trusted guard. To her shock and horror, however, the two are only pretending to be dead, and strike up a bargain with Fie's Pa to escape the murderous queen: transport them safely to their allies, and Crows will be protected by appointed Hawks in the future. For a caste frequently targeted by Vultures and other groups, this offer seems too good to pass up. Though Hawks and Phoenixes have traditionally never spoken to or interacted with the lowly Crows, Prince Jasimir and his friend Tavin must now live like Crows... or risk dooming the entire kingdom to the reign of a cruel and ruthless queen.
As I said before, this book is chock full of interesting lore, from the Birthrights of each caste, to the ancient wisdom of the old gods and the Covenant. There are even old songs and stories passed down from each generation to the next, something I'm sure that Owen has written and stored in her own personal database somewhere. What results is a world that feels very rich in detail, a world that pulls you in and makes you want to know more. One such example of rich detail can be found in the names of the characters, as all Crows are traditionally named the first foul word spoken to them. Thusly, characters like Fie, Swain, Hangdog, and Wretch exist alongside those with more ordinary names.
The story does not hold your hand at all, however; it throws you right into the action and challenges you to fill in the blanks of this universe as you go. The book includes both a map and a basic description of each caste and their powers in the front, which serves as a helpful guide while tracking the story's action, but this might prove to be a little much for the reluctant or uninitiated reader. For me, however, this was immensely fun and fulfilling, as it kept me interested in slowly piecing the puzzle together.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the romance, which I felt was incredibly well-developed. I have always been a huge fan of romance, both as the main plot and as a sub-plot, and am a well-known sucker for a well-written love interest. I especially love a romance that develops slowly, and give bonus points if that romance turns from mutual dislike to love (also known as the "love-hate" relationship). Fie and Tavin fulfill this role perfectly, butting heads in the beginning while having excellent chemistry and an obvious attraction to one another. Their journey from enemies, to friends, to lovers felt very natural and well-deserved, and I appreciate Owen's ability to really get me attached to the characters and their romance as I read.
In addition to excellent lore and romance, this book is also full of subtle yet poignant political commentary about classism and the abuse of power. As a Crow, Fie and her fellow clan members have gotten used to being treated lower than dirt, and don't even blink at their mistreatment. Tavin, on the other hand, has been raised as a Hawk his entire life, and takes great pride in his caste's call to protect others and uphold the law. He is horrified, however, when he sees how Crows are treated, often having to bite his tongue to keep from speaking out against the injustice from his own caste. Prince Jasimir, as a Phoenix, has to learn to humble himself in order to understand plights he has never had to face. In essence, he is forced to "check his privilege" in order to gain empathy for those beneath him. I think this is important for teens to grasp, as many of them may have grown up with privileges they're unaware of. The Merciful Crow confronts these privileges (privileges such as knowing help will be offered when seeking it from those sworn to protect you) in a way that never feels preachy or overt, and I appreciated the subtlety of the writing.
At the risk of praising this book into oblivion, I also really enjoyed both the cultural and sexual diversity in this book. Several characters, including Prince Jasimir himself, allude to being either gay or bisexual, and no big deal is ever made of this fact. For example, Tavin mentions that all of the lords and ladies of the land had been "throwing their sons at him" in the hopes of marrying into the royal family, demonstrating that one's sexuality is inconsequential in the face of wealth and power. As always, I really appreciate seeing the LGBT community represented casually, and I hope Jasimir is given a love interest of his own in future books.
Along with LGBT representation, there is also a great deal of racial and cultural diversity in this book. The Crows speak in what seems to be a Scottish accent, with words like "ken" and "aught" being thrown around frequently. Fie is described as having brown skin, though it is never clear exactly what her ethnicity is. The rest of the Crows are also seen as having darker skin, and while it is never expressly stated, I believe Jasimir and Tavin are this universe's version of Middle Eastern in appearance. Though some might take issue with the fact that most of the characters of color are the ones looked down upon in this universe, I think this is making yet another political statement about how people of color are treated by those in power in our own society.
I could honestly go on and on about this book for pages, but I don't want to give away more of the plot than is strictly necessary. Suffice to say, this was an immensely enjoyable ride from beginning to end, and I'm extremely glad I picked it up. It's full of magic, suspense, romance, adventure, and intrigue. The characters are complex and lovable, the story is compelling, and the world-building is both complex and extremely well done. I would recommend this book to fans of both fantasy and romance (though maybe not to reluctant readers due to its complex language), and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel next year. show less
As I get older, it's rare for me to write a review. I know it's an author's bread and butter and I know that's on me--my only excuse is that I write SEO Content for 8 hours a day, five days a week, and that sucks the will to (brain go mush) think at the end of the day about writing anything else.
I will say, that if the book is exceptional I will dredge up enough energy to do my best to leave at least inadequate words on how much it moved me.
I found the Merciful Crow via Amazon Kindle Unlimited. I am so glad I found this. Book. Is it dark? Yes, is it beautiful? Also yes. Is it something you should be reading? Yes--especially if you do not mind the subject matter of disease or death. Looking past that, this book has so many fantastic, show more clever, wonderful things that address some of the hardest topics that come along with being human. And I loved it.
P. S.
To whoever said there was cat torture...????? Did you....did you read the same book I did? WITHOUT Spoilers: Yes, there is a cat in this book. And yes, there is a moment of pent-up tension and suggestion of danger toward the cat, but I am HAPPY to report the cat is not, in fact, tortured. And the most important part: lives, is taken care of.
VAGUE SPOILER EXPLAINING CAT I am not sure what the one reviewer is going on about. The cat is locked in a wagon that has been set on fire by antagonists while the protagonists are hiding. The cat is described as yowling, which can be distressful to some but I want to assure you that the cat is rescued before anything bad happens. In fact, the ONLY injury the cat receives in the entire book is an injury to its paw that is self-induced by its scratching to get out. And it is healed. So yeah. There's no CAT TORTURE in this book jeeze.
How much did I love this book? I was halfway through it when I got up, walked to my PC, and ordered and paid for the second book. And I read the second book in 1 night.
Recommend?
GET IT. show less
I will say, that if the book is exceptional I will dredge up enough energy to do my best to leave at least inadequate words on how much it moved me.
I found the Merciful Crow via Amazon Kindle Unlimited. I am so glad I found this. Book. Is it dark? Yes, is it beautiful? Also yes. Is it something you should be reading? Yes--especially if you do not mind the subject matter of disease or death. Looking past that, this book has so many fantastic, show more clever, wonderful things that address some of the hardest topics that come along with being human. And I loved it.
P. S.
To whoever said there was cat torture...????? Did you....did you read the same book I did? WITHOUT Spoilers: Yes, there is a cat in this book. And yes, there is a moment of pent-up tension and suggestion of danger toward the cat, but I am HAPPY to report the cat is not, in fact, tortured. And the most important part: lives, is taken care of.
VAGUE SPOILER EXPLAINING CAT
How much did I love this book? I was halfway through it when I got up, walked to my PC, and ordered and paid for the second book. And I read the second book in 1 night.
Recommend?
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*Received via NetGalley for review*
An interesting concept with a fairly interesting plot that seems to head into a love triangle but (thankfully) doesn't. Lots of twists and turns that drive the plot along and raise the stakes.
There are some unanswered questions, but could be a standalone.
An interesting concept with a fairly interesting plot that seems to head into a love triangle but (thankfully) doesn't. Lots of twists and turns that drive the plot along and raise the stakes.
There are some unanswered questions, but could be a standalone.
The actual rating I would give this book is 3.5 stars. I don't usually read high fantasy books like this but it was given to me by my book pen pal. I enjoy reading reads out of my comfort zone every now and then. It did take me quite a bit longer to read though. I have trouble with the multiple elements that typically go in to a high fantasy book such as this one. My brain just seems to have a difficult time wrapping around and processing all of it. I did like the second half of the book much better than the first half. I feel like there was a lot of repetitiveness. The oath, the oath, the oath, crows are being murdered, crows are being murdered, must be a chief, must be a chief. It was just a little tiring. I felt like I was able to show more skim over quite a bit of it because it was already known. I did really like the main plot of the story and the ending. I am not sure if I will be continuing with the series though. show less
I really enjoyed this book; awesome world building, solid romance, great pacing and I am a sucker for properly tough-as-nails female protagonists.
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- Canonical title
- The Merciful Crow
- Original publication date
- 2019-07-30
- Epigraph*
- Of we willen of niet, we voeren de Kraaien.
- Saborisch spreekwoord
Als je zondaars verbrandt, hou die nacht je sandalen dan aan.
- Advies voor een jonge Kraaienbaas - Dedication
- To everyone whose mercy is demanded, and who dreams instead of teeth.
And to my parents: No, you're not in this one. The cat had first dibs. - First words*
- De lege troon -
Het duurde te lang voordat Pa de jongens de keel had doorgesneden. - Last words*
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Fie liep de weg op.
- Publisher's editor
- Liao, Tiffany
- Blurbers
- Legrand, Claire; Duncan, Emily A.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Reviews
- 19
- Rating
- (3.98)
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- 6 — Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 16
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- 3